A new bill called the “Online Competition and Consumer Choice Act of 2014” aimed at “prohibiting paid prioritization” of Internet service providers from was introduced yesterday by Democratic Representative Doris Matsui from California and Senate Judiciary Committee Democratic chair Patrick Leahy from Vermont. The goal is to make sure that all web content travels at the same speed between consumers and Internet providers to prevent companies who pay more from having an advantage.

“Americans are speaking loud and clear,” Leahy said. “They want an Internet that is a platform for free expression and innovation, where the best ideas and services can reach consumers based on merit rather than based on a financial relationship with a broadband provider.”

The new legislation would require the Federal Communications Commission to enforce net neutrality again, after the practice was struck down in court earlier this spring after a federal appeals court said that the FCC basically couldn’t “require that Internet service providers treat all traffic equally.”

ALA President Barbara Stripling responded to the development by asking librarians to rally in support of the bill:

“An open and innovative Internet is essential to our nation’s freedom of speech, educational achievement and economic growth. Librarians in public, school, and academic libraries are dedicated to preserving the free flow of information over the public Internet, which is why the Online Competition and Consumer Choice Act of 2014 is vitally important to preserving this cherished freedom. The American Library Association enthusiastically endorses the bill…. We will work collaboratively with libraries and educational institutions nationwide to advocate for strong public policies enforce network neutrality and prohibit paid prioritization. It is critical for all to have equitable access to the Internet to support our nation’s social, cultural, educational and economic well-being.”

The American Library Association has a page dedicated to the issue of net neutrality on their website, and the issue is likely to be raised at the annual conference in Las Vegas at the end of the month.